What follows are excerpts from the liner notes of Fuzzbee's EP booklet. After that? Fuzzbee's answers to my questions.

PS: The best way to read the rest of this post is to listen to "I Burn for You" at the same time.

1. "I Burn for You"

I got to know Sting in 1986, when we were both on the Conspiracy of Hope tour and became a doubles team (undefeated!) on the tennis court. Whenever we've seen each other since then, there's always been a warm, mischievous vibe.

A little while back, Sting put out the word he wanted to hear some different takes on his songs. That intrigued me, and this song is one that I've always loved: I Burn For You.

Sting's band at the time I got to know him was the band that worked this up, including my friends, Janice Pendarvis, DoLette MacDonald, Darryl Jones, the great Kenny Kirkland, Omar Hakim (who went nuts on the original) and Branford Marsalis.

I cooked this up and got it to Sting in London on a Saturday night. By the time I woke up on Sunday, there was a message from him letting "mr. fuzzbee" know how he appreciated my Burn and that he now wanted to play it more again, himself.

So, here ya go. Alto flutes, bass, guitars, keyboards & things you hit. Enjoy!

2. "Warmth Of The Sun/Sleep Walk"

This is as close as I come to Christmas music! I've always adored both of these songs and thought there might be a way to musically tie them together with the guitar & harmonies. I could've added several other resonant songs to this mashup, but felt it better to contain it to these two gems and find the ways that they could cross.

Brian Wilson's chord changes always killed me, so consider this a little thank you and homage to Mr. Wilson. May 2022 - 2023 be far better for all of us!

3. "Anybody Like You"

In my inexplicable & thoroughly wacky life, I've had many unexpected friends, mentors and colleagues, and Paul Allen was easily one of the most impactful.

As opaque and removed as he could be to many, we had a warm, funny and meaningful friendship for many years. We connected on a deep lifelong love of Jimi Hendrix and became jamming buddies and friends from our first meeting, playing 'til 4 in the morning on his birthday in January of 2006.

His Seattle Seahawks won the NFC Championship the next day, as I pointed to him on the TV and told Julie, "that's the guy I was jamming with last night!"

He was the ultimate wildcard. A truly brilliant man, whose head was immersed in finding solutions to seemingly unsolvable problems like climate change, ocean health, curing Alzheimer's and figuring out how to properly pull off Little Wing.

I'll consider him one of the greatest human beings I've ever encountered 'til I check out of this madhouse. And a treasured friend. We had so much fun together. From that first moment, on his birthday.

With great love and appreciation to Paul G. Allen.

4. "As Long as the Wind Blows"

Written with abiding love & respect for George Harrison, with embedded Beatles tributes by Tony Levin, who played with John & Ringo and Jerry Marotta, who played with Paul McCartney. The Beatles made me want to play, write & perform when I was a little kid. Oh yeah, and get chased by screaming girls.

George was so profoundly an essential part of the depth & timelessness of the Beatles, along with John, Paul & Ringo. His contribution is immeasurable. With much love to PR.

EXCERPTS FROM MY INTERVIEW with FUZZBEE

1. What inspired you to produce/create/release this EP at this time?

I'd already decided to release my reinvention of a song of Sting's and, rather than just selling one song, it seemed natural to combine it with other unreleased pieces from the last couple of Years of the Plague.

2. Is there some kind of theme or thread that connects all four songs?

They were all triggered by different events & people, but the underlying theme may be irreplaceable people and appreciations of the richness of life.

3. How did COVID 19 and the closing all all musical venues affect you? What did you learn from that experience?

All musical work stopped completely for a while. No studios open, no live music, very little income from my field. I ended up re-doing my studio and started to work remotely from my place, but it was a pretty brutal stretch. I learned how hungry people are, including me, for live music and live interaction.

4. Some people say that music is the universal language. Is it? And if so, what is it trying to say to all of us?

Yes, it's the closest thing to a universal language, with all of its varying flavors from different cultures, eras and styles. Great music can be enjoyed by anyone from any part of the world.

5. Who are your biggest musical influences?

Frank Zappa, The Beatles, Stravinsky, Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Pink Floyd, Stevie Wonder, Motown, Joni Mitchell, Philly Soul (especially Thom Bell's songs), Bernard Herrmann and all the great Bluesmen: Albert King, Robert Johnson, BB King, etc.

6. When did you know that music was what you were here to do?

Probably about eight or nine.

7. In what ways has Prem Rawat affected your relationship to music and who you are as a human being?

Prem has taught me, carefully and over time, how to extract the most from as many moments as possible. In playing music for him over decades, you learn to balance the satisfying with the unexpected, the appropriate with the wild, the internal with the visceral.

Above all, you learn to serve the moment. Musically, your aim is to get the best out of that piece, at that moment, in that situation, for that audience.

8. What are three (as yet) unfulfilled dreams of yours?

-- To have enough money not to waste time worrying about it.
-- To have a house in a healthy area with a full recording studio in it.
-- To play a piece at the Grammys that absolutely brings the house down. Or even one timeless solo.

9. Why would you like people to buy your EP?

To enjoy the music, further their own inspiration and help feed my chihuahua.

10. What is the sound of one hand clapping?
Boiinnnngggg!

11. What was it like to meet Mickey Mantle as a young boy?

Absolute nirvana.

12. Complete these sentences:

"The best thing about jamming with Frank Zappa at 16 was... the look on his face. (Playing the best I'd ever played in my life didn't hurt)."

"If I had $250,000 in the bank I would be... most grateful."

"My favorite line from a Bob Dylan song is... "he not busy being born is busy dying."

"In the next ten years I would like to... achieve having a comfortable life making my own music and spend lots of quality time with friends."

"My most memorable moment with Prem Rawat was... too many to list just one, but many include a golden, beaming look directed at me or a shared belly laugh."

"Though money can't buy happiness, it can... keep the hellhounds at bay."

"If I met Buddha on the road, I would... ask him about his favorite restaurants."

"The most extraordinary musician i ever met was... Jaco Pastorius and Frank Zappa (tied)."

"One of the great things about playing music at Canter's Deli in LA is... that it's usually unplanned and great surprises occur. Having a weekly residency in a big city allows for plenty of experimentation and regular attendees."

"The thing baseball and music most have in common is.. breathing room and hits."

Fuzzbee's "I Burn for You" on Bandcamp
Fuzzbee's website